Big bumblebee
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Great bumblebee ( Bombus magnus ) |
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| Vogt , 1911 |
The great bumblebee ( Bombus magnus ), also referred to by some authors as Bombus magnus flavoscutellaris , is an insect belonging to the group of bees (Apiformes). In Germany it is shown in the Red List of Threatened Species as "critically endangered" (Category 2).
features
The animals reach a body length of 19 to 22 mm (queen), 11 to 17 mm (worker) or 14 to 16 mm (drone). Their wingspan is 38 to 42 mm (queen), 22 to 34 mm (worker) and 29 to 33 mm (drone). Their densely hairy body has a black basic color, the thorax and the second abdominal segment have a wide, yellow cross band. The bandage on the thorax extends about two millimeters beyond the base of the wing, which distinguishes the species from the similar light yellow ( Bombus lucorum ) and dark bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris ). In the very similar kryptarum bumblebee ( Bombus cryptarum ), the thoracic band extends about 1.5 millimeters beyond the base of the wing. In all four species the last two abdominal segments are hairy gray-white. Their head is very short, as is the proboscis, and reaches a length of 9 to 10 mm (queen), 8 to 9 mm (worker) or about 8 mm (drone).
Occurrence
The species mainly colonizes open areas of the lowlands. They can be found in heaths , on fallow land, embankments, on ditches, field and meadow edges and gardens, and rarely in forests. In Central Europe it occurs up to about 1500 m above sea level.
Way of life
The great bumblebee forms underground nests, mostly in abandoned mouse nests, with up to 300 individuals. Queens are looking for nesting opportunities from mid-April to late May. Female workers occur from early May to early September. New generation drones and queens fly from mid / late July to late September. The species is counted among the pollen storers, which means that in addition to the nectar, the collected pollen is also stored in disused brood cells. The most important food plants include black nettles , saspards , restorers , heather , spring herbs , common robinia , meadow and white clover , motherwort and pussy willow .
swell
- Eberhard von Hagen, Ambros Aichhorn: Bumblebees. determine, settle, multiply, protect . Fauna Verlag, Nottuln 2003, ISBN 3-935980-28-0
Web links
- Bombus magnus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Cederberg, B., Michez, D., Nieto, A., Radchenko, V., Rasmont, P. & Roberts, S., 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2014.